


Fly Agaric

by Specklesock



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Adventure, Louis Tomlinson Calls Harry Styles Pet Names, M/M, Mushroom house, Mushrooms, Silly, a little bit of decieving, because hes scared, but not really, cottage core-ish, crack!fic, forest, fred the squirrel, harry is a bit cranky, larry stylinson - Freeform, louis is adorable, mention of jay - Freeform, not the drug, pixies are mean, theres a random goblin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:15:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29704614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Specklesock/pseuds/Specklesock
Summary: “HELP! HELP!”Harry sits up at once and looks around for whoever is in distress. The fields that stretch for acres before him are as empty as when he arrived. The call for help comes again and Harry looks toward the woods who are as silent as woods can be.“Down here, please, down here!”, the high voice demands. “By your feet, look here!” Harry is tremendously confused by this and wonders for a moment if he could be dreaming.Who and in what world could be speaking to him that can hide behind his feet?
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a [comic](https://www.instagram.com/p/CIs8NegFcfU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_lin) i made a little while ago. It started off as a crack fic after i couldnt sleep one night but ive grown attached to it so treat it respectfully hehe.
> 
> i will try to include as many drawings as i can for the scenes but there may be some extras on my art account [HERE](https://www.instagram.com/speckle_sock/) .

It was a sunny day. One that called for lazy lounging alone on the grass. Sure, Harry has plenty of friends who he loved spending time with, but the many invitations to pool parties remained unread on his phone which he turns off to hear the music nature provides. 

She sings the notes of the winds and the rustle of leaves, the silent ripple of the water from the river nearby and Harry thinks he detects a tune of scattering feet from squirrels and raccoons. 

The sun rays hit Harry's tummy and he feels happy once again as he feels the stress ooze out of him as the lightness of no responsibility that comes with summer sets in. The grass tickles his ears and toes, his love handles out in the open without the pressure of society around to keep them in his shorts, and the daisies in his hair sway slightly to the wind as they face the blue blue sky. 

All of it’s gone in an instant.

“HELP! HELP!”

Harry sits up at once and looks around for whoever is in distress. The fields that stretch for acres before him are as empty as when he arrived. The call for help comes again and Harry looks toward the woods who are as silent as woods can be.

“Down here, please, down here!”, the high voice demands, “by your feet, look here!” Harry is tremendously confused by this and wonders for a moment if he could be dreaming. 

Who and in what world could be speaking to him that can hide behind his feet?

Though they are quite big....

The curly-haired boy moves his curly-haired feet to the side and there it is. A mushroom at first glance but....is that a boy?? A half boy?? Half mushroom half boy, about 3 inches tall (that Harry could have sworn was not there before).

“You have to help me!”, the half boy half mushroom says. Of course, Harry is stunned. certainly not stoned, though. Sure he enjoys a little weed with friends like most people his age and he has thought of trying mushroom psychedelics once or twice but the thought of doing something still isn’t actually doing the thing and experiencing its effects..... So why is Harry hearing a mushroom-person talk to him?

“I’ve been turned into a mushroom!”, it says again, and this time Harry puts on his British politeness that his mother taught him to work and answers.

“Uhm… Uh… I-“ 

‘Okay, that’s a start. C’mon Styles, you're familiar with the English language.’ Harry thought to himself with an internal eye roll then turns his attention back to the little situation.

How in God's name is this happening? Surely this must be a dream? Right! Harry was so relaxed under the sun that he must’ve fallen asleep!

Well, it can’t hurt to play along, can it?

“I was exploring the woods and I must have touched something I shouldn't have. Or maybe it was those berries… No, wait! I did meet a weird old lady the other day...”, the mushroom boy babbles on and this allows Harry to study the creature.

It has a large, red cap with white circles on its head, very small black markings on its skin (one that looks like a bird, oh and another that looks like a… knife?) and from the waist down a white stem typical of a mushroom (obviously). It's very small (he? maybe ‘he’ is more respectful), he’s very small, Harry could have missed it when he sat down, although he has been here for over an hour and it- he didn’t say anything before.

It's a dream, no use dwelling on logistics. He goes back to paying attention to what the mushroom boy is saying.

“...and then I found you and now I’m telling you what happened! so? Will you help me out?” he asks, more like demands, and manages to look stern and commanding even as a 3-inch tall fungi.

“Of course! Uhm, I can help. I just.. have no idea how?” Harry feels very weirded out, Someone should be coming to look for him soon, hopefully to wake him up from this weird dream. 

“Right, right, me neither. But let’s think! It’s a curse, what breaks curses?” asks the boy, who is now looking directly at him. 

“I don't know...” Harry answers suspiciously as he takes a closer look at the boy's face. He has feathery brown hair, tanned skin and what he thinks are blue eyes. A stranger, a complete stranger. He lives in a very small town, where everyone knows everyone, so you can see where his suspicions come from, right?

“Just think! maybe we’ve read them in a..” he boy trails off, “What do you call them again?” he says under his breath, “Books! maybe we can find a solution in books!” Harry narrows his eyes.

“You said someone turned you into this only this morning?” Harry asks and the mushroom boy nods jerkily. “Weird. I've never seen you around. Where did you say-“

“A kiss!”, the mushroom boy exclaimed loudly. 

“What?” says Harry, all other thoughts in his head replaced with the image of him kissing a fungus.

“In the books a kiss always breaks curses right? You have to kiss me.”, the boy responds assuredly. 

“I- I can’t do that!” Harry says incredulously and looks around. There has to be some kind of witch around here or maybe he can just make one up since it’s a dream. 

“Why not? It’s just a kiss and remember I’m not actually a mushroom, I’m a real human so it’s not weird”, the boy says, a little offended. 

“But- But-“ Harry really doesn’t want to offend this little creature both because he’s heard that hurting magical creatures feelings is a great way to get jinxed and because, well, his mum would be disappointed. 

“Please! or what do you think i’m icky??” he says and crosses his arms,”Wait, do you think i’m icky??” the boys say in a quivering voice and even though they’re small Harry can see tears in his eyes as he clutches his chest and his lips pout. 

“No! No!No! Not at all!! Ipromise” Harry hurries to assure the mushroom boy. And it is the truth! If it weren’t for the weird mushroom stem legs and the fact that he was 3 inches tall, the boy was very pretty. So much so that he knows the boy isn’t from around here or Harry would have already flirted with him. 

“Then will you kiss me please? I’m scared.” The boy pleads, and with that Harry can’t deny him anymore. He would too be scared if he turned into half a plant not even tall enough to walk all the way back home in less than a week.

“Ok, ok I'll do it.” Harry resolves as he lays belly down in front of the mushroom and pucker up his lips and closes his eyes. 

He feels a light pressure on his face as the creature comes closer and squeezes his cheek as he leans in and kisses Harry. 

For a moment everything goes silent. The wind stops, the rustling of the swaying tree branches disappears. His face warms up and he doesn’t think it’s because of the touch of their lips. Suddenly the ground disappears from under him and he feels his whole body squeeze in on itself. His eyelids go red, a very bright light in front of him but he can’t open his eyes. Harry is scared for a moment until he is able to open them again and he sees Louis in front of him, the same size as Harry. 

The boy still has his red mushroom cap but at least the stem legs are gone and....yup he’s naked!

Harry looks away, embarrassed and a little confused, and sees that the grass has grown taller. A lot taller. It’s the same height as him and he looks up and there’s something in his head and he looks behind him and the trees are ten times bigger than he they were before and he looks up and a gigantic bird flys by and holy mother fucking shit he’s a mushroom boy!!!!!!

“What- what the fuck???? What did you do???? What happened????? You!! You did this? You tricked me??” Harry is hysterical and his heart is beating a mile per minute.

“Yes!! Now we’re the same!! Isn’t it amazing?!” The boy says, happy as can be , smiling like a loon and Harry can’t even see the blue of his eyes as his smile consumes his face. 

Harry is hyperventilating and he falls to the ground on his bum until his mind stops spinning. 

This can’t be happening. This has to be a dream. But he wouldn’t feel this scared and confused in a dream. It’s not that scary even, he’s had worse dreams and never had a reaction like this. Oh no!! Is this really happening? Is this possible?? 

“Aren’t you happy?” asks the other mushroom boy. “Is this what humans do when they’re happy?” he sits down in front of Harry, eager and excited. “I’ve been waiting so long for this. I can't believe it worked! Mum said it doesn’t happen anymore, I think it has to do with the fact that people don’t believe anymore, you know, in magic and stuff like that. Man! Did i have to learn a lot to get this right! But of course it was no trouble at all! I’ve been lonely for so long it was finally a good distraction- HEY WHERE ARE YOU GOING?”

Harry runs and runs towards the woods. His small legs are slow but they match the other boy and he makes it past some trees and hides behind one to catch his breath. 

“What are you doing there? My house is that way.” The boy reaches for harrys hands but Harry retracts them and starts running again. He runs and runs until he finds a cluster of flowers and jumps into it for cover. He coils into himself and it’s quiet for a few seconds. 

“Did I misread this?” says the boy's voice from behind him and Harry jumps up ready for action “Wait! Please!” 

What is it about this boy's voice that makes Harry's body stop and listen? It’s the sadness and desperation in it.

The boy sits down, brings his knees to his chest and hugs his legs. “Was- was what I did not okay?” he asks, those big blue eyes looking up at him once again. “I don’t know much about human behaviour and mannerisms. I've heard weird stuff about you guys so I knew there was a learning curve but I didn't know you would actually run away from me!!” he says, his voice pleading. “Are you scared of me...?” he asks in a small voice.

Harry's own voice comes back to him and his brain starts to work again. “.....no” and he’s telling the truth. This small, vulnerable creature could never hurt anyone, Harry can see that. The boy's rant from earlier comes back to him. He said he was lonely for long. That can certainly make you do stupid things. “I'm not scared of you, just- well, small half mushroom half boys don’t really have a part in my world and this is very new.” Harry makes sure to look into the other boy's eyes so he knows he’s completely honest. “And these trees are very intimidating” he attempts a smile and the boys return it.

“They’re not so bad once you get to know them,” he shrugs.

Harry is momentarily terrified but shakes it off and decides he’ll take one magical news item at a time. 

“You must be thirsty from all that running. Come on, i’ll take you to my house. I always have fresh water!” The boy decides, takes Harry's hands and pulls him along. 

Harry goes with it and listens to the boy babble along on their walk because, well, what else could he do?


	2. Chapter Two

“So anyway I told the stupid squirrel I wasn’t giving him my nuts so he tried to jump me but It’s okay, I’m okay I got out of the way in time and then went back home and the damn pixie was still there, like I said be careful what you say around them or else they won’t get off your back so I told her ‘here are your ingredients now get out’ long story short the pixie took the stuff I worked hard to get and finally let me keep my mushroom so yeah that’s how i got my house” The boy finishes, he lets Harry’s hand go to gesture at the large Agaric mushroom right by the edge of a clearing in the woods. 

It's stem is almost as thick as it’s cap, at least 10 inches tall. It has three pebbles that form stairs that lead to a round red door with a heart shaped window in it it’s middle. Two smaller circles on it’s edge make windows and a brick chimney sits at the top of the house. The two large daisies frame it well and Harry thinks it serves as camouflage. From the boy's babbling, Harry could make out that humans can rarely see the hidden magical creatures that live in the earth but if any of them could, Louis would be protected.

Them?? No us, Harry thinks. I’m human too...mostly....right??

“Come in, come in, have a seat. I'll get you that water. Do you want some berries too? I have cherry, I have blue, I have cran. Oh shoot! I’m out of strawberries! and I know i’m out of nuts.” continues the boy and Harry wonders if they have any lungs in this form because if so the other boy must have very strong ones. He puts what looks like the shell of an acorn filled with water in front of Harry without ever pausing in his ramble. Then he realises he still doesn’t know the others name.

“I’m harry...by the way.” This finally silences the boy, he faces Harry and sits down by the table with him, a curious look in his blue eyes. 

“You probably don’t know this, actually you obviously don't, how could you? But here telling someone your name is a sign of trust.” He’s smiling fondly at Harry who blushes all the way to his toes. “It's mostly because of the pixies,” he adds with a scrunch to his nose but giggles in the end. 

“Oh so.. you don’t trust me?” Harry says in a small voice. He is a little offended to be quite honest. If anything he’s the one who shouldn’t be trusting the other boy.

“That’s not it you silly daisy! I’m just not used to telling it to others. My name is Louis. Louis of Agaric. I get it from me mum! It’s where all the red with white mushrooms are from.”

“That’s pretty.” Harry responds and now Louis is the one who blushes. 

“You’re not a very big talker huh?” Louis points out. 

“Uhm, my friends say once i’m comfortable with people i never shut up-“

Harry pauses as Louis lets out a great big laugh straight from his belly. It’s, and Harry would have never used this word before but it’s true, adorable. Louis is adorable and it’s not just the cartoon-ish resemblance to a mushroom. It’s the way his eyes crinkle and his small hands hold his pudgy tummy and the way he talks. 

But Harry shouldn’t be getting attached.

“That’s very funny! wow I must see that for myself! Oh man! Even the bunnies around here aren’t as funny as you.” Louis says as he looks wide eyed at Harry as if waiting for him to say something funny.

“You’re probably the only person that’s said that about me. Most of my jokes consist of puns and no one really cares for those.” Harry says with a shrug.

“What is a pun?” 

“Oh, uhm, okay it’s like words that sound like another word and you switch them in a sentence..?? Like.....water you up to?” Harry says, holding up his shell filled with water. Louis is confused so Harry continues, “Get it? Because water sounds like ‘what are’?” 

A look of understanding dawns on Louis’ face and he breaks down laughing once again. When he regains his breath Louis demands Harry to tell him more puns so they spend what must be hours making puns, Louis even makes some up on his own.

“Wait, wait I can’t believe I forgot the obvious!” Harry exclaimed loudly after a hundred or so jokes, “Why was the mushroom always invited to parties?”

“Why?!” Louis responds with just as much enthusiasm.

“Because he was a fungi!!!” Harry finishes proudly but doesn’t laugh yet as Louis has the confused expression again that to means he didn’t understand it. “You know, because mushrooms are a type of fungus.” 

“What is a fungus??” Louis asks, eager to learn more things from the human world but with careful cautiousness that comes from learning humans eat some kinds of mushrooms.

“Uhm, I don't know how to explain but like there are plants and they categorise them differently and what you are half of, a mushroom, they call a fungi.'' Harry is relieved no humans are around to hear him explain his own world to someone. His sister would definitely crucify him for this as she’s a huge biology nerd. Honestly, how does one live among a society for so many years and not be able to explain so many simple things? Granted, there are too many simple things that we don’t think about on the daily. Our world is so much bigger and all Louis knows is this forest. This brings Harry back to his situation and he snaps out of the fun vibe he was having with Louis and suddenly becomes sad. He needs some kind of plan to go back home, to turn back into a human. What if this isn’t a dream?

“How about we get some sleep?” Louis’ voice suddenly says. He gets up and into action creating a makeshift bed for Harry on the small green armchair. He sets out a pillow and a blanket that Louis made himself (and it looks it) . Harry realises he is too tired to formulate any sort of plan to get home today so as soon as he lays his head down he’s already in a deep sleep.

All the shrinking, running, panicking and talking from the day before led to Harry so tired he sleeps through the morning. He wakes up refreshed, his half mushroom body used to the comically small size and his back doesn’t hurt as much as when he’s human which Harry finds odd. Not as odd as the big mushroom top on his head that he thought would me much more of a hassle, though.

He gets up and walks to the bucket, or large clay pot made by Louis, for some water, which he drinks using a leaf from a nearby plant like he has seen Louis do the night before. Refreshed and mind clearer from the shock of yesterday Harry finally analyses the house Louis has made for himself. 

It's made up of one big round room. To the left, a small kitchen with shelves filled with bowls and cups Louis made either from clay or dried acorn shells, the bucket of water harry is standing next to is where a sink would be, a rickety cabinet Harry has seen Louis pull out berries from so it must be where he keeps food is right next to it, a table under the window with two chairs and a rug underneath. To the right of the room is where he keeps his bed. It’s old and worn and has a heart shaped whole on the headboard, there’s a side table by it and a stone (or better, pebble) fireplace adjacent to that. A small but comfortable looking armchair sits by the fireplace and Harry can’t stop but imagine Louis sitting by the fire, cosy and warm, natural. 

All through the room he spots cotton cloths that Louis makes which really makes the place cosy and warm, not to mention all the plants and flowers which fill the space, some even reaching the roof and tilting sideways. The walls have a soft texture but are bumpy as if it were carved out to make the home. It smells of rain and daisies and something Harry thinks he smelled when he kissed Louis.

Wow that seems like years ago.

When Harry puts his leaf down, Louis walks in the door. Well, he assumes the huge cotton balls with legs are Louis.

“Oh hello you’re up!! Thought you’d sleep all day, sleepy bug!” Louis says as he drops the cotton balls and walks over to a rug in the middle of the room. “I tried not to wake you.” He tells Harry as he folds away the rug to reveal a trap door underneath, for a moment Harry is concerned until he opens it and drops the cotton in. ”Never had to be quiet in my own house like that. I might get used to it.” he finishes in a joke. Harry has so many questions and before he can form any and pick the first one to ask, Louis is already heading out again. “Come on!! It’s time for lunch.” he says, waiting for Harry by the door.

They walk and talk,well at least Louis does, along the forest and the boy seems at ease with the environment contrary to Harry who detects every little rustle of leaves and scatter of feet. What once were pleasant and relaxing sounds now are all signs of danger. He tries to play it cool for the boy who just wants a friend, which Harry can understand, but his looking behind his back at every noise might be giving him away. If the boy notices or not, he continues his idle babbling which Harry assumes is his permanent state.

They’re at the top of a berry bush. One thing Harry never thought he could do was climb this high and fall so many times without getting a scratch to his skin. He guesses it comes with being in a small body made for living in nature. Harry and Louis are covered in berry juice. Harry wonders if his tongue and lips are as red as Louis' are.

He averts his gaze when Louis looks over again, chatting away like always. Harry isn’t listening though as he is formulating a plan to get Louis to help him turn back into normal. He guesses chatting with Louis back wouldn’t hurt. The way Louis loves to talk he might tell him how he managed to turn Harry in the first place. 

But before he can get a word out, the most beautiful thing happens. A huge blue butterfly hovers a few branches from them. It flaps its shiny wings majestically as it smells the fruits. Harry is mesmerised, as much as he’s always loved butterflies, especially the brightly coloured ones, he never imagined he could be equally terrified of one as he is now which only adds to his amazement. The towering insect unfazes Louis, who is used to being small and he glances at it with mundane curiosity. It flies away and while Harry regains his breath and tries to remember what his previous thoughts were, Louis just takes another bite of the red berry. 

“So uhm, is this what you do all day? Collect cotton and eat berries?” Harry asks Louis who is swaying his feet and happily chewing, the first time he’s stopped talking all day.

“No silly! Lots to do here everyday. I wake up and shoo the pesky bugs away from my mushroom, of course, you know or else they poop all over the place. No decency, No decency!” he says shaking his head. The thought amuses Harry, and Louis giving out to bugs almost the size of him is even more amusing. “Most of the day is just helping around the woods. You know, birds building their nests, birds learning how to fly, i guess there are a lot of birds here huh? Oh and the pixies,ugh!! You have to always be getting them ingredients or else they prank you for weeks then you don't get anything done. In the afternoon when I get my free time, I love spending time by the lake. I can dive down to the bottom, did you know?!” He directs at Harry who shakes his head lightly and tries to act amazed. He's clearly proud of this and probably had no one to brag to. “Oh and of course I collect the stuff the crows bring by me. They’re super nice to me, my mum cultivated a very good friendship with them so now they help me out! They bring me cotton, corn leaves, sharp rocks, and they are very handy. I'm no use for finding those. my cabinet was made with one i found. That’s why it’s so rickety.”

“And who else lives in the forest?” Harry attempts.

“Oh just some goblins, but they’re hardly any hassle. Of course some fairy’s stop by every once in a while but it’s not a very impressionable forest for them to stick around in. Of course there’s the witch but good luck getting in a word with her. Very secluded, likes her little cabin that one” 

Aha!!! Harry thinks. The witch will turn him back. Harry bets that’s who gave Louis the instructions to turn Harry in the first place. Maybe he should ask someone else to get to her, so Louis would obviously not be an option since he would be suspicious or give him all the wrong information altogether. No, it must be some other creature. Perhaps a crow. Louis’ mum could communicate with them so maybe they could understand Harry-

“RUN!!!” Louis shouts, grabbing Harry's arm and throwing both mushrooms off the berry vines. Harry hurts his back but there’s no time when a huge squirrel starts to chase them and they run for their lives. 

“Why is it chasing us???” Harry shouts at Louis who’s ahead of him. 

“No time to explain!! Jump!!!” Louis jumps over a tree root and Harry imitates him. He is surprised that he was able to achieve that with his lack of grace. They sprint down the forest towards the clearing, past that to the edge of the forest and towards the lake. What Harry thought was a great distance for someone their size turns out to be a lot faster to get to when they have to run for their lives. 

Harry makes the mistake of looking back when they near the water and almost trips when he sees the squirrel is on his tail, his ugly toothy face right by Harry's and he runs faster to get away from it. He looks over just in time to see Louis jump in the water and Harry does the same.

The squirrel doesn’t jump in and Harry can see it’s blurry tail turn around and hop away. Louis swims by and Harry once again follows. The giant cap on his head serves as a small challenge and he struggles for a bit to not sink but once he gets a hold of it, swims away to wherever Louis goes. They near a rock that reaches the surface and Louis peeks over it to check if the coast is clear and once it is he gestures for Harry to come out. They sit on the rock and Harry takes a moment to regain his breath before he starts his lecture.

“Louis!!! What! Was! That!???? What did you do??? Was that the same damn squirrel you were talking about?? Why would you go and piss it off??? I could have died!! I don’t know how to survive here!! Not even a minute's warning!! I can't believe you! No respect I swear! You bring me here, you put me in these situations and what am I supposed to do?? Sure this body can do a lot of things I couldn’t do before but I didn't know that!!! for all I knew I was gonna trip and fall and die!!”

Harry stops to take in some air and looks over to Louis. He's looking down with a guilty expression splashed on his face, shoulders up to his ears and blushing all the way down to his chest. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” He explains in a small voice “That was the one i told you about, the one i have beef with. I'm not allowed near his tree and that berry bush was way too close to it. But I forgot, I swear!” he pleads but Harry is still not convinced. “Look I wanted to give you the best berries, especially since you had the not so good ones I stored in the kitchen last night, I wanted to show you they can be way better! But i forgot the best bush was the one near Fred's.” 

The squirrel’s name is Fred?

“It’s- whatever.” Harry is too tired to continue arguing anyway and Louis seems genuine. Louis has been nothing but genuine and kind to him since yesterday on the field. 

Louis looks down at his reflection in the water and he is just as transparent as the lake. Harry forgets he isn’t human. Humans lie and deceive. He has yet to understand what mushroom creatures are like but if they’re anything like Louis, Harry is sure he can trust them. Sure he’s impulsive and slightly obnoxious but Harry blames that on the fact he’s been here for years on his own. That will surely mess up his head and make him a little selfish. And it’s not like Louis has done everything in his power to keep the truth from Harry, so maybe that means Louis will tell him what to do to go home.

“Look” Harry starts, he tries to keep his frustration out of his voice and muster up as much patience as he can, Harry is known as the most patient man in the world but somehow Louis has managed to scramble up his emotions in a way he can’t understand. “I need to get back home. Will you help me?” he finishes in a tone that he hopes says that he’ll look for a way with or without the other boys' help. 

Louis sniffles and wipes away a tear. Harry is sympathetic but when he nods sadly Harry can’t help but feel relieved. He lays back in the warm rock and basks in the sun. 

Twenty four hours ago he was doing the same thing under the same sun but in vastly different circumstances. Funny how life changes so fast without any warning. The lake he had been planning on swimming in that reached his hips now looks endless. Harry is reminded of the ocean. The one he was scared of as a child but had mastered once he grew and realised what a beautiful thing it was. This could be the same, he thinks, Harry could just as easily master this lake and learn how to use it in his favour with time and dedication. With an unexpected frown though, he realises he won’t need to as he doesn’t plan on staying that long. 

Just as he’s about to start questioning himself a splash of water is thrown at him freezing him momentarily and making his mind go blank. He sits up and there Louis is on the water again giggling into his hands. Harry isn’t very forgiving, when someone throws water at him the only logical reaction is to get revenge. That's how their water war begins.

Both mushrooms splash around, chase each other and laugh. He discovers how long he can hold his breath in this form and how beautiful the lake is when you’re the size of, well, a mushroom. The rays of sunshine that reach the algae and the fish who seem to play along with them, the treasures they find in the sand at the bottom of the lake, and to Harry’s surprise, a goblin that comes over to shout at their distracting loudness. 

He’s not much taller than Louis and Harry themselves, with greenish skin and boils covering his face. He waves his fist at the boys who only laugh louder, until a sudden chill overtakes Harry's body and he notices the huge cloud that covers the sun, taking away the warmth and promising rain. 

So they head back to Louis’ house in silence, for once, but with high spirits and bellies that hurt from laughing. The sky gets darker and the forest more menacing which makes Harry unconsciously gravitate towards Louis’ side. Louis doesn’t notice as always but once they feel droplets of water fall all around them, Louis grabs Harry's hand and runs. They start to laugh again for reasons Harry can’t explain other than he sees Louis laughing and he feels the need to copy. He thinks this might be him trying to sooth Harry's fears but sometimes Harry thinks Louis doesn’t even notice them. 

They reach the house where Louis shoves Harry into as he closes the door. He leans against it to catch his breath as Harry doubles over with his hands on his knees. 

“Would- '' Louis starts but stops to breathe in more air, “Would you like some tea?” he finishes. Harry's eyes bulge at his surprise that Louis has tea here. He supposes he shouldn’t be as tea is natural and only requires water and leaves but in his culture shock Harry wouldn’t have guessed there would be something so normal from his other life here. He nods and louis gestures for him to sit on the chair by the fire. 

He sits on the worm, green chair that’s as soft as everything else Louis makes. It’s so soft he almost falls asleep with the sounds of Louis lighting the fireplace and the clanks of his clay pots. He opens his eyes soon enough to see Louis pull up one of the wooden chairs but Harry gestures for him to join Harry in the softer one. Harry thinks he detects a hint of a blush while Louis settles in beside him in what he thought would be a tight fit but turns out to be just as comfortable with a warm body pressed against him. 

Although, Harry too starts to blush when he realises how naked they both are. 

He doesn’t know how he got used to this fact so quickly.

They sit in more silence, this time a tad more awkward, until Louis gets up to pour their tea and comes back with a pink blanket. Their bodies almost dry with the warmth of the fire makes for a calmer atmosphere where Louis begins to talk slower and quieter than usual behind his clay mug of tea.

“The witch can help you turn back” Harry almost startles with his voice even as soft as it is among the silence save for the crackle of the fire. “It’s a day and a half to get there. We’ll begin the journey in the morning assuming the rain has stopped.” He takes another sip, licking his lips for the excess tea there and looks down at his lap “I’m sorry I didn't get any information on how to undo what I did. I just assumed you’d love being here- love being with me.” His eyes are glued to the glow of the fire now while Harry stares at his defeated expression. 

He cannot feel bad for wanting to leave. He knows Louis can’t be manipulating him into feeling this way, because from what he’s seen the boy just wears his heart on his sleeve, metaphorically. But Harry can’t seem to shake that thought because why else would he be having second thoughts?? Could he be loving this place as Louis says? Sure his day here has been nothing but wonderful and magical even considering Fred, the squirrel. It felt amazing to run like that, faster than ever in his life, his heart pounding, putting so much trust into a person, or being, he just met. And the way they spent all day in the lake jumping and laughing like kids, like they were part of the water itself. Some kind of force, Harry doesn’t know if they were working along with it or it was working with them. Like the lake, the bushes, the paths in the forest were made for them to enjoy. And the berries!!! Harry has never tasted something as good as those berries, he felt grounded as if that’s the way they were meant to be eaten like mother nature had crafted them especially for him like she was holding him and telling him he was home. It felt so natural doing all those things that Harry only realises looking back on it. 

“Why did you pick me to be here?” Harry asks Louis. Did he know he would fit in like he does? Does he know something that Harry doesn’t? Is this what’s supposed to happen once one has been turned into a mushroom person or is it just Harry? 

“I've seen you here many times before you seemed to belong,” he says simply, taking another sip. 

“What do you mean?”

Louis thinks about this for a moment before adding “The first time I saw you was the summer before this one. You would lay on the grass for hours and sometimes you’d bring other humans but they never stayed as long as you did. I watched you from the top of a tree and I could see you were awake, not napping like some of the other creatures thought, that you’d sleep for the time you were here and go home once you woke up. No, you were purely basking in the sun and enjoying the breeze.'' Louis giggles and glances at Harry who’s still watching Louis as he talks. He seems to get more comfortable on the topic, turns his body slightly and picks up the pace a little. “So, I couldn't hear what you were saying most of the time with your human friends but from your body language I could tell you were asking them to go into the woods with you but they never agreed and you seemed hesitant to go by yourself. The first time you actually walked in was with your dog friend and I followed you as you explored and I loved taking in your reactions to the things you saw. It made me see the beauty in the normal, everyday things. I even fought off Fred for you because he loves throwing nuts at whoever walks in here, pure evil, so you wouldn’t be scared off and would come back again. There was never really a concrete plan in turning you, I just heard the idea from a pixie, went to find out more about it and suddenly I had everything I needed right in front of me. I know I told you I did it because I was lonely and that’s a big part of it, but I also thought you’d love it because you would experience everything you discovered here the way one is supposed to! I just didn’t want to say that at first because you would think I'm creepy for following you around.”

Harry doesn’t know how to respond to this. A magical creature followed him around for who knows how long waiting and watching. It’s hard for Harry to settle on what to feel about all this. On the one hand Louis is right and he does feel a bit creeped out for having been stalked by something he didn’t even know existed. Louis, despite what he says, planned this weather intentionally or not, Louis wanted Harry to join in on the life he has here and consciously seeked out a way to do so. 

On the other, harry does believe him when he says Louis only wanted harry to experience the forest life to the fullest, which worked and Harry has had a lot of fun. But, does it excuse the fact that Harry was turned into something non-human against his wishes, without his consent? He is uncertain about Louis’ mention of Harry's belonging here, but now Harry can't just ignore this comment and move on. Does Harry belong here? 

The amount of sense this makes scares Harry to his core so he decides to change the subject. He asks Louis about his blankets and how he learned how to knit and Louis goes on in one of his famous tangents, successfully distracting Harry of his previous thoughts. 

Raindrops patter against the roof of the mushroom house, the fire cackles and Louis’ soft voice soothes Harry into such tranquillity that his mind is lulled to sleep. His mug of tea is long forgotten and the soft knitted blanket that Louis covers Harry with when he gets up to go to his own bed, warms Harry after the fire has long died out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW // Trigger Warning  
> -  
> -  
> -  
> Mentions of Jay.
> 
> This one is a little slow and mellow. Louis is a little sad and I just needed this chapter to touch on a subject which was kind of the whole point of the fic which you will see at the end. Hope you like it <3

The sun shines in through the open windows the next morning. Its rays bouncing off of the green, green plants in the room feeding them, taking care of them. The sunflowers outside the house face it and soak in the glory. Harry turns on his back and stretches from his mushroom head to his toes yawning a big huge yawn and almost knocking over the small planter on the coffee table. The red and white of Louis’ mushroom head moves behind the couch as Harry hears him messing around in the kitchen. The latter gets up and soaks a bit of the plant's sun too before he walks to the clay bucket and washes his face. 

Louis greets him good morning and Harry returns it with a sleepy smile, although even with the sleepy eyes and mind the morning gives him, Harry can tell that Louis is off. He is packing some blankets mugs in a worn out tote and not chattering away Harry's ears as he does so. With the way Harry has seen the boy chat to plants and insects and even to nothing at all, it is safe to assume Louis is not happy but Harry is too much in a good mood to ask and he doesn’t know Louis well enough to predict how the other will act when having a bad day. 

“For the journey.” Louis explains, pointing to the tote swung on his shoulder. “Food and shelter we’ll have on the way, but I've grown used to my knitted blankets and well, tea isn't a beverage best consumed on leaves or flowers.” the boy adds, his smile forced. It's clear to Harry now that it's Harry's near departure that has gotten him down. Helping someone do something that you disagree with must be hard, Harry can see that, but it's not like he can get there on his own and Louis does owe him this. “C'mon, we’ll pass by some strawberries on the way.”

The strawberry bush is nice and full with juicy red fruits and Harry can't leave without eating one on the way and another under his arm for later. Despite the predicament he is in with Louis, aka him not talking his ear off because he is sad that Harry wants to leave, Harry is having the best time. It may sound mean to be this happy when his friend is not but now that he is more familiar with his surroundings and his company Harry feels more comfortable and just as in tune with the forest as Louis is. 

Harry feels this may have something to do with his almost epiphany about belonging from the night before but the strawberries taste too good to ruin them with deep meaningful thoughts, so he throws the stem away and starts chewing on the other strawberry as his brain focuses back on the beauty of his surroundings and his uplifted mood. 

They walk and walk along the forest passing animals and plants that all seem to work together in harmony. The trees sway with the wind causing fruits and nuts to fall where the animals can collect and store them for later, for their families, for the winter. Insects zoom back and forth or move slowly along leaves and branches consuming the recently watered leaves the rain provided them. 

As for the mushroom men, they have fun despite Louis’ gloomy mood. sliding down a muddy hill, scaring each other in a game of hide and seek when they have to pass through a thick blueberry bush, helping one another climb a very tall tree when they can’t get past a giant puddle of murky brown water in the middle of their path, jumping from one tree to the other like monkeys. They didn't have they could just have gone around it but Harry is feeling adventurous. 

Louis starts to cheer up but Harry can still detect a hint of sadness in his eyes. He supposes it’s hard to have this much fun with someone else after so long just to say goodbye so suddenly. Harry is beginning to realise what Louis meant when he said he wanted Harry to experience the forest the way it was meant to and it scares him. He tries and tries to come up with games and fun ways to get through the different challenges along the way to distract his mind from going to the place where it is considering staying here with Louis but he is unsuccessful. In fact, his attempts only enforces this idea as the more fun they have the less reason he has to leave. 

Thankfully, night is approaching and if the weight of his limbs from the full day they have had is anything to go by, Harry will be knocked unconscious the minute he rests his head on the dirt. 

“This seems like a good place to rest for the night. i’ll go find some tea leaves, you start the fire." Louis says and rests his tote against the root of the tree then walks away to find the leaves. The place Louis picked is at the foot of a very large tree where its roots protrude high off the ground creating walls around Louis and Harry, shielding them from anything that tries to bother them. The dusky sky is barely visible from under the tree but a rosy light casts over Louis in the distance and Harry keeps a look out for him as he starts the fire. 

His good mood never falters even when the ground is hard, the wind blows a cold breeze over them and the only thing they have left to eat along with the tea is tree bark because they were having so much fun that they forgot dinner. Their growling tummies are distracted by the fireside tales they tell each other over hot tea. 

“So then she swoops in and demands the pixies listen to them. Everyone goes completely silent because no one, especially a lowly mushroom, has ever interrupted their queen and with a commanding voice looking straight into the queens eyes she promises that if the crows aren’t treated fairly then all the other creatures were never doing anything for the pixies again. My mother was very well liked by everyone so they would definitely have done just that if the pixies refused. But, fortunately, the pixies agreed in letting the crowd roam freely in the forest just like any other bird around.” Louis tells with his chest puffed and nose in the air, proud to be his mother’s son, as he should be.

“She sounds amazing! So that’s why the crows loved her and still bring you things to this day?” 

“Yup! She never even asked for it she was just like that, always sticking up for the underdog.”

“So, I know this isn’t the point of the story but, you can speak to crows?” Harry finally asks.

“Yeah! I mean, not in the way you and I can to each other, of course. They understand what we say they just can’t talk back, they just talk with their actions and head tilts, I guess.” 

“Oh, so like dogs?” The thought amuses Harry to think a crow could be treated like a dog and it could ask you to go outside to so their business like dogs do. 

“Dogs do that??” Louis asks amazed. “Wow! I didn’t know they were that smart.” 

“Really? Dogs are some of the smartest animals. You don’t get a lot of them here?” 

“We do. They come and go. Most are either cowards and jump at the sight of anything that moves or too happy to see us that they bounce on us to play but don’t realise that they can hurt us.” Harry nods in understanding because that sounds like a pretty accurate description of a dog. 

“And by us you mean…?”

“Me, some goblins, at least the ones that care to come out of their houses, Fred and his gang..” Louis lists off.

“Do you mean you’re the only one of your kind here?” Louis’ head falls and Harry feels guilty for asking but it’s something that has been bothering him to no end. How did one small mushroom end up all alone and why did everyone abandon him?

“Living so close to humans is very dangerous. There are places for us that look just like this one but humans and their weather can’t get to but they say it’s a little less magical.” 

“Magical?”

“Human children believing in us is what makes life a little less dull and little more powerful. It’s not what gives us life but their belief, dreams and happiness makes us strong. And it’s not that no one believes anymore, there are plenty that do, that’s not what’s driving us away. It’s the winters that are getting too cold and the summers getting too hot. This is not our battle and it’s not what our bodies were made for.” 

The realisation of what Louis is talking about hits Harry and he suddenly feels very guilty. It’s a serious topic and one Harry doesn’t understand too much about, again his sister is the biology nerd, but it’s something he wishes he could change now more than ever. They stay silent for a moment to take in what has just been said and respect the ones that left for a better life even if it meant leaving others behind. 

“Did you ever think of going too? Or are you planning on staying here forever?” Harry doesn’t add ‘alone’ because he feels that would be too painful for the situation to remind Louis that he’s leaving soon too. 

“Of course I’ve thought about leaving many times too. My mother always told me make the decisions that were better for me but she also said to follow my heart so that meant staying here, where I knew her and have other around me who did too.” 

“That’s beautiful.” Harry tells him which gains him a crinkly smile and blush. 

“And it’s not like I would be alone forever. I’ve always had hopes that another of my species would come along and we would reproduce.” He says this with such ease, leaning back on the tree trunk like all the heaviness of the previous topic had already vanished, but takes the breath out of Harry's lungs and all at once many different thoughts cross Harry's mind.

“Oh-oh right. Yeah! Duh!!” Harry is visibly uncomfortable and Louis notices this with a smirk. 

“Relax! I didn’t bring you here with the intention of reproducing with you.” He giggles into his hands and adds in an undertone, “Not to say it didn’t cross my mind though.” 

Harry laughs awkwardly.

“Yeah. Ha ha! Cou- could you even, you know, like, do, uhm, that, with me since I’m human and, you know, male??” Harry is looking around trying to not look into Louis’ eyes so he doesn’t see that those kind of thoughts have crossed his mind. But now he’s curious if it would be possible in this species for two males to reproduce. It’s not like anything is impossible at this point.

“Why not? Of course we can! Now I’m worried about your species. All we need is two willing and loving mushrooms.” He says with a shrug of his shoulders but Harry detects a glint of sadness in his eyes. They’re both trying not to mention how Harry was brought here unwillingly…

“That’s, uhm..” Harry tries for think of something to say that would be respectful but now his curiosity is turned up to a hundred and he needs to know, “How, exactly, do you reproduce? I mean your species!!! Of course!! Not you you!!” Louis is till giggling at Harry’s awkwardness while Harry is probably as red as his Agaric cap.

“Two mushrooms just have to plant some of the dust from our caps in the dirt and many little mushrooms will grow from it. It’s simple really. I understand many species do it a more crude way that I never fully understood but my mother felt it best for me not to know much about that part.”

For a minute Harry is speechless.

The genuine look on the other mushroom's face makes him believe he is telling the truth but Harry has a hard time believing this. Either way, who is Harry to question how a mother raises her children? 

They continue with light chatter until both are too tired to even keep their eyes open. Louis falls asleep first. He literally falls on his blanket and is snoring within seconds which Harry fonds over for a while before he gets up and does the work Louis mentioned of clearing their paths so the pixies don’t find them and mess with their stuff. 

Despite their day of walking and goofing around, Harry doesn’t fall asleep as quickly. He thinks maybe the weakness from the transformation and the culture shock has worn out and he doesn’t need endless hours of dreamless sleep to recover anymore so he lays for an extra hour admiring the stars.

His mind wonders. He thinks of all the things Louis has told him about life here and how he came to be alone. It makes Harry’s heart ache even if Louis told it with such lightness and bravery. And that’s what Louis is, he realises. 

Louis is extremely brave. Choosing to live here all alone with the memories of friends and family that have all either moved on or passed away. He accepts all this but of course, even if subconsciously, it’s not what he wants. He wants a family again. Maybe he brought that conversation up because it is what he wants but he’s too afraid to ask. 

Harry falls asleep trying to convince himself he doesn’t want the same.

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter on wednesday!
> 
> follow on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/specklelouis) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/speckle_sock)
> 
> thank you so much for reading ;)


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